Rivers and Roads 2023, installation, single channel video, sound, mirror shards, two found deck chairs

During a residency in Nambour, QLD, a fair chunk of my time was spent driving up the row of highways that slice their way from the Eastern suburbs of Brisbane towards the Sunshine Coast. Not a particularly pleasant, albeit necessary pathway to reach Nambour and other attractions; clear blue ocean and lush mountain forests.
While aimlessly wandering the sprawling suburbs of Buderim by foot, I was struck by a feeling of confinement. Getting around where humans live often means navigating streets that prioritise cars, your movements restricted to straight lines and concrete pathways along asphalt roads. Sometimes, you find a creek or river that cuts through these grids, disrupting the crisscross commute between utilitarian infrastructures. The river provides an alternate organic pathway, an ancient winding link forged by water between houses and roads.
I noted Nambour’s Petrie Creek felt a little forgotten, despite continued environmental restoration and some riverside parklands, it felt at odds with the rest of the town. The creek itself is full of life, a camouflaged green corridor that sustains a myriad of plant and animal organisms in the heart of Nambour. Strapping my camera to the back of a bicycle, or holding it as I walked, I began filming parts of roads and rivers. I experimented with editing, using the ‘paintbrush’ tool to create fluid lines, and playfully explored layering, disruption, attempting to connect the suburban with the cosmological.

This residency was made possible by the Sunshine Coast council Project 24 artist residency program with support from Arts Tasmania.